


The Five Times Dustin Thought He Was So Discreet and The One Time He Realized He Wasn’t

by The Tozier Wheeler Twins (omfgiminlovewithneeks)



Series: Underappreciated Stranger Things Pairings [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Adorable Dustin Henderson, F/M, M/M, for a smart kid Dustin is dumb, we need more Henler content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 15:46:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17645699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omfgiminlovewithneeks/pseuds/The%20Tozier%20Wheeler%20Twins
Summary: Dustin thought he had hidden it well. He thought he had been careful. He thought nobody knew about his feelings for Mike.And he was almost right. Except not really.





	The Five Times Dustin Thought He Was So Discreet and The One Time He Realized He Wasn’t

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> This is one of my favorite ships, and there has been next to no non-smut content of them on ao3. That's how I ended up writing this (well, that and a coin toss).
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

**~~* 1 *~~**

Dustin was certain this was the last time they had a picnic before officially becoming high schoolers.

It was the last week of summer. The weather had stopped being suffocatingly hot, and they had finally been allowed to go out and have fun again, after what had happened only a month ago. Despite having air conditioning, none of them wanted to return to Starcourt Mall anyway, so the next best thing was to enjoy a lazy day in the park. Max was still trying to teach her boyfriend how to skate, despite half the party telling her that it was an impossible feat. The curly-haired boy honestly wasn’t sure which had been more badly bruised, Lucas’ ass or his ego. Will was finishing his drawing of the day, which was a drawing of them sitting around the picnic basket and having the best time of their lives. Not exactly ‘capturing the moment’, in Dustin’s opinion, since that ‘moment’ had happened half a day ago, but it was still impressive how the cleric had managed to draw something so beautiful in such a short amount of time. El had lost herself in the magical pages of a book, as she often did these days. The girl was sitting at the edge of their picnic blanket, far away from her boyfriend, who was in a heated debate of his own.

“— and since we’re representing Hugh Everett’s many-worlds interpretation in a plane and time is a line, Doc’s car would be a dot, and the possible destinations would be represented as a circle with a fixed radius,” Mike said, waving his hand in the air as if he was drawing said imaginary circle. “Marty could’ve jumped to any point in that circle. It was unrealistic to have him land in his exact timeline”.

“Yeah? What about the butterfly effect?” Dustin countered. “The most unrealistic thing should be how little Marty had affected the future by staying there for one whole week. Everyone who’s seen him could’ve acted differently sometime during their future, which could’ve made someone else do something else differently as well. Not to mention he changed his parents’ entire history. There should’ve been a huge repercussion for that”.

They were actually discussing the most unrealistic thing in a movie about  _ time travel _ . That had been why everyone else had opted out of this conversation. Lucas and Will were nerds as well, but they weren’t as nerdy as Mike or him, and they definitely didn’t get as heated about a movie.

“You just said that because you’re the clumsiest person in the world,” Mike huffed. “I bet you would’ve burned the entire town down in those seven days”.

“Hey! I’m not the one who usually comes up with the craziest idea around here,” Dustin scowled, “if anyone is a major threat to the spacetime continuum, it’s you”.

This was another reason the others didn’t usually join their debates. No matter what the original topic was, they always seemed to reach that stage where they would end the argument in a wrestling match, which, Dustin guessed, he might as well start. He usually had the strength advantage, since Mike was so lanky it was almost ridiculous, but everyone knew he was extremely ticklish, and the paladin would use it the first chance he got.

Which, unfortunately for Dustin, was exactly what had happened, and he found himself on his back, squirming away from Mike’s fingers while begging for someone, anyone, to help him. Eventually, Mike seemed to think that he’d had enough, and finally let him catch his breath.

And maybe it was due to the exhaustion of having to laugh too much, which had made his mind go fuzzy, but as he lay there, with Mike kneeling on top, Dustin saw something he hadn’t noticed before. He saw Mike’s brown eyes sparkling with joy, as the taller boy once again beat him in this so-called debate. He saw Mike’s freckles on his pale skin, clearer than ever due to their current proximity. He saw Mike’s red lips, slightly chapped from always being chewed on whenever the paladin was deep in thoughts, letting out small puffs of air. In that very brief moment, he saw that Mike was the most beautiful person he’d ever laid his eyes on, and his face was heating up from that thought.

“Surprise attack!” Will yelled before suddenly tackling Mike, and when Dustin finally snapped out of it, the two boys were rolling on the grass, undoubtedly looking like him and Mike just moments ago.

The bard quickly sat up and tried to shake off the thoughts about one of his best friends, as he willed his face back to normal. However, he didn’t notice El’s gaze, before she turned back to her book with a knowing smile on her lips.

 

**~~* 2 *~~**

The party found themselves at the arcade.

It was the last week of school before their summer began, and Max had come up with the brilliant idea of going out to celebrate surviving the second year of high school. Dustin had no problems with that plan, seeing how it had been a while since he’d last asserted his dominance in Centipede, and he would also want to reclaim his throne in Dig Dug. For five days back in freshman year, he’d managed to beat Max’s high score, and he was hoping to make history once again.

However, about fifteen minutes in, he had to accept that he wouldn’t be able to do it today, since his mind had noticed something different about his friends’ behavior, and now he couldn’t focus on anything else. Normally, when they went to the arcade, Mike would always wrap an arm around El. Unless one of them was playing something, they would be that inseparable couple who always whispered something in each other’s ear.

Well, not right now. Currently, Mike was on Dustin and Max’s right, watching Will play Pac-Man, occasionally bumping the smaller boy’s shoulder whenever the cleric got out of a tight situation. El was talking to Lucas three games away on their left. In the bard’s two years of silently watching Mike from a distance, they had never stood further away from each other. Not to mention, the curly-haired boy had noticed the awkward politeness between ‘the golden couple’ when they had first gotten to the arcade, and that had also never happened before.

“Okay, Shirley, what’s up with you?” Max snapped him out of his thoughts. “You’re not at the top of your game. Your head is not even in the game”.

“What do you mean my head’s not in the game?” Dustin scowled at Max, who only sent him an unamused stare. After about three seconds, he decided to drop the act. “Just that, Mike and El are acting kinda strange,” the boy sighed. “I was wondering if something was wrong”. It wasn’t that the other two had never fought before, but they were usually quick to make up, and even if they hadn’t, they would’ve used the silent treatment instead of this awkward politeness.

Max snorted and shook her head. “Well, if you hadn’t gotten yourself in detention this lunch, you wouldn’t be wondering right now,” she reprimanded. “Seriously, cursing out Kaminsky? I thought Mike was the one with no sense of self-preservation whatsoever”.

“It’s not my fault that Kaminsky hates me. I spent days on that essay. I should’ve gotten at least an A,” Dustin huffed. “But that’s not the point. What happened?”

Max sent a quick glance at her boyfriend and El before turning back to him. “Mike and El broke up”.

In his life, the bard had heard a lot of things he’d never thought he would ever hear, but nothing had shocked him like that particular sentence. “Wait, what?” Based on Max’s grimace, he’d been a little too loud, so the curly-haired boy tried to lower his volume. “What happened? Why?”

“They said that they still love each other, but they’re not  _ in love _ with each other, so they’d decided it would be better to just be friends,” Max shrugged. “I dunno. I guess it was mutual and they ended on good terms. It also felt like they’d been considering that for a while, but that doesn’t mean things won’t be a little awkward for a while between them”.

“I always thought they’d grow old together,” Dustin glanced at Mike, “that they were like soulmates or something”.

“And they will still grow old together, just not  _ that _ kind of together anymore,” Max pointed out.

“I guess you’re right,” Dustin sighed. “It still sucks, though”.

Max decided to not point out the warm look the curly-haired boy was sending the paladin. She also decided to not point out that her friend was smiling while saying that.

 

**~~* 3 *~~**

Dustin and Steve were at their usual coffee shop.

It was a hot summer day, and all his friends were either working or on a date, so he figured he could summon Steve for their monthly meetup. Plus, he needed some advice, after all.

“But seriously, there are like, three better coffee shops in Hawkins,” Steve complained for the twentieth time. “Why do we always have to settle for ‘acceptable’ instead? No offense, Mike”.

“None taken,” Mike chuckled as he put Dustin and Steve’s drinks down. “I only follow the recipe. Can’t make you like it”.

Yeah, that was why this was Dustin’s favorite coffee shop. Cute baristas. Or one cute barista in particular. But he would never tell Steve that.

“Well, you know I like it,” he said, sending Mike a grin, “that’s gotta be more important than Steve’s opinion”.

“Did you like it before or after I brought you your first free muffin?” Mike asked, rolling his eyes.

“Can’t believe you thought so little of me, Wheeler,” the curly-haired boy huffed. “Now get back to work”.

The paladin ruffled his hair before returning to the counter, and he returned his attention to the unamused young adult. “Seriously? You like this place because Mike gives you free muffins?”

“Can we drop that now?” Dustin glared at Steve. “I need some advice”.

“Look, man, if it’s about fashion, then I’m not sure what else to tell you. You’re lo—”

“How do you,” he interrupted the older man, “uh,  _ woo _ someone?”

Steve’s eyes widened, and it was very apparent that he was having a difficult time trying not to laugh at the question.

“First of all, never,  _ ever _ say ‘woo’, ever,” Steve managed to say after he’d calmed down enough. “Next, like I’ve told you a million times before, every girl is different. Some like it when you come on strong, others you have to be nimble. Now tell me about her. Is it someone at school?”

Dustin gulped. He knew he would have to come out eventually, but he wasn’t ready for that just yet. He knew they would accept him if he did — they all had accepted Will when the cleric had come out to them a year ago — but it just felt like it was too much. He’d only recently accepted that he had feelings for the paladin, after all.

“Yeah, s-she’s in some of my classes,” he said nervously. Well, Mike was in at least half of his classes, so that part was still true.

“Okay, that makes things a little easier,” Steve smirked. “If it was someone in a shop or something, it would be difficult to find a reason to hang around where she worked”.

Dustin would love to point out how untrue that statement was, but he didn’t. “Yeah, so basically I see h-her all the time”.

“And what about personality?” Steve asked. “That’s the more important part in winning someone over. What is she like?”

“Well, she’s smart, and cute, and funny,” Dustin listed. “Like, the type I can talk to for hours without feeling bored”. He sighed as a soft smile appeared on his lips. “And you know the feeling in movies when someone walks into a room and your eyes are immediately on them? Yeah, that too. I don’t know, there’s just something about him that’s really special”.

“Woah, you’re not falling in love, are you?” Steve gave him a smirk. “Sounds like it”.

“Maybe?” Dustin bit his lips. He knew he’d never felt this way before, and he knew he would like to try to pursue it. He wouldn’t have talked to Steve otherwise.

“Okay, so first thing first, you’ll have to know whether—”

“What are you guys talking about?” Mike asked as he put two muffins down in front of them. “Compliments of the house,” the paladin grinned at Steve.

“Well, Dustin was telling me about how much he lo—”

“Love Tews!” Dustin interrupted, a little too loudly and definitely too hastily. “That little shit always snuggles up to me when mom and I watch TV,” he sent Steve a look that clearly meant ‘shut up’ before turning back to the raven-haired boy. “So, are you free enough to join us, or do you have to get back to work after this?”

Steve knew he wasn’t the brightest pea in the pod, but he hadn’t missed Dustin’s little pronoun slip-up earlier, and he certainly hadn’t missed the way the curly-haired teen’s eyes lit up at his friend, or the faint blush on the boy’s cheeks when Mike smiled back at him.

 

**~~* 4 *~~**

Most of Steve’s advice had been quite useless, in Dustin’s opinion.

The young adult had rambled on about ‘being yourself’ and ‘acting natural’, and he definitely didn’t want the type of advice he could easily get from teen magazines. However, the older boy had said something that maybe he could use — he’d said that when Dustin wanted to tell his crush how he felt, the best way would be to do it in a way the other person liked. And as the bard recalled, their paladin had, on multiple occasions, told the party about how he’d tried to tell El about his feelings, and ended up kissing her instead. They hadn’t talked about it afterwards, but according to both of them, the kiss had said everything for them.

So, that was his answer. The best way to tell Mike how he felt was to kiss him. Perfect answer, but didn’t help him much, if at all. How was he supposed to walk to his best friend and kiss him?

Therefore, he’d stayed silent, watching and waiting for his chance to show up. And today it would. In CPR class.

Apparently, after they’d pulled Will’s fake body out of the quarry, Hawkins High had learned that most of their students didn’t know the basics of saving lives. Therefore, since then, every November, every junior had to go through a CPR lesson. Luckily for him, the four boys of the party ended up in the same group. Max’s time in California meant she already knew CPR and wouldn’t have to take this lesson, and El was still a sophomore because she still had a lot to catch up. That was why they were now in the school gym, trying to ignore the basketball practice as their instructor yelled out the theory.

After the theory, Coach Johnson, their instructor, wanted them to get in line and practice it in front of the whole class, two at a time, so she wouldn’t have to point out the common mistakes and whatnot to every pair. Dustin had, with difficulty, discreetly placed the party in a perfect position so that Lucas would be practicing with Will, and Mike with him. Things couldn’t have been any more perfect.

Of course, the moment that thought appeared in his head, something had to go wrong.

“Look out!” A voice called out, and they all turned around just in time to see a basketball hit Will right in the face before the cleric fell down.

“Fuck! Will!”

“Will! Jesus!”

“Will! Are you okay?”

“Fuck, man, I’m sorry”.

The last voice belonged to Jim Martin of the basketball team. Apparently, the guy had missed a shot or something, and was the reason that rogue ball had hit Will. If he hadn’t been known for being a good student, or they had even remotely suspected that had been anything but an accident, the kid would’ve been the victim of something way worse than the death stares from the three party members.

“Guys, it’s okay,” Will groaned, still on the floor. “It was just an accident”.

“I’m so sorry, Byers,” Martin said apologetically. “I wasn’t paying attention. It was my fault”.

“It’s fine,” Will offered the guy a smile. “You didn’t mean for that to happen”.

“Martin, get back to your practice! The rest of you, get back in line!” Coach Johnson instructed the teenagers who had now formed a circle around Will. “That includes you three as well. Byers, do you need to go to the nurse or something?”

“I’m fine, Coach,” Will quickly shook his head, wincing a little at the rapid movement. “I just need to sit down for a moment”.

The rest of the party knew how much Will hated to be babied, and how much he hated the nurse’s office, the hospital, or anything that reminded him of the lab. That was why they didn’t say anything, only shooting him a concerned glance.

“Alright, you can be excused,” Coach Johnson sighed. “Go sit on the bleachers. If you feel sick, you can go to the nurse’s office”.

Will nodded sheepishly and sent Mike, Lucas, and Dustin an apologetic look before walking away.

And that was when Dustin realized his problem.

If Will left the line, then Lucas would pair up with Mike.

And he would partner with...

The curly-haired teen turned around and locked eyes with the person behind him. Charlie Miller. Better known as Corpse Breath Charlie.

He turned back and checked their position in line, thrice, which was ridiculous because there were only six people in front of Lucas no matter how many times he counted.

_ Fuck! _ His perfect plan had been ruined by a fucking basketball.

He wished he’d strangled Jim Martin when he’d had the chance to.

From the bleachers, Will watched the bard with an amused expression.

 

**~~* 5 *~~**

Dustin had devised a perfect plan. A plan that would definitely work today.

It was the last Saturday before Christmas, and the whole party was hanging out at the Sinclairs.

The previous day, he had casually dropped by to hang out with Lucas, while secretly taking notes of the spot the mistletoe was hung. He knew the Sinclairs loved to catch Lucas and Max under one, so they would definitely put that up somewhere. The boy wasn’t wrong, though, since he’d found it just outside the living room. Perfect spot for parents to take photos of their kids kissing under the mistletoe.

“Hey, Mike, can I talk to you over here for a second?” The bard asked from the doorway to the living room.

Mike was sorting the movies for their movie marathon in front of the TV. The Sinclairs had taken Erica to the mall, Lucas and Max were preparing the snacks in the kitchen, and Hopper still hadn’t dropped Will and El over yet. This had to be the perfect setting.

“Why?” The paladin looked up quizzically. “Do you need my help with something?”

“I— Uh, I just want to ask for your opinion in choosing a last minute present for El?” He said nervously. The bard hadn’t expected Mike to question it, and now he was feeling a little stupid for not preparing in advance.

“We are literally the only two in this living room,” Mike pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “Why do I have to go over there to talk to you about someone who isn’t even in this house when there’s no one here to listen to us?”

Dustin mentally facepalmed himself. Of course Mike was right, and of course he was making no sense at all. The curly-haired boy sighed and walked to the TV, keeping up his charade. Plan A had failed, but he still had twenty-five more letters in the English alphabet.

***

After plan G had failed, around five hours later, Dustin decided to give up. Turned out, he wasn’t very good at improvising, and after his last attempt, Mike might have started to suspect something was up. He’d asked Mike to help him get more snacks from the kitchen, and the amazingly sassy paladin had given him the most unimpressed look.  _ ‘You, Dustin Henderson, need help carrying four bags of chips from the kitchen to the living room?’ _ Of course that had sounded ridiculous, but it had only been because nobody had reacted like how he’d planned. He hadn’t expected literally everyone to refuse to have him get them something to drink.

“You okay?” Mike asked from the couch when he returned with the bags of chips and sat down next to the paladin. Seatings during movie nights at the Sinclairs had always been predictable, with Lucas and Max sharing the loveseat, and Dustin, Mike, and Will occupying the couch. El would sit on the floor, in front of Will or Mike, and would occasionally lean against their legs. It hadn’t done anything good for the bard’s crush, though.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dustin smiled back at Mike. “Just a little tired”.

Based on the look on their dungeon master’s face, the teen definitely hadn’t been fooled. Nevertheless, the raven-haired boy decided to drop the topic, and Dustin was left to deal with his thoughts in peace.

That was until Mike decided to pull him down onto his lap. The curly-haired boy could feel his heart threatening to leap out of his chest, but he only looked up at his friend quizzically.

“If you’re tired, then it’s better to lie down,” Mike smiled at him before turning his focus back on the TV. His hand, however, started stroking Dustin’s hair and playing with it.

The shorter boy couldn’t help but smile softly at the feeling. Sure, he hadn’t been able to tell Mike how he felt, but he still could have moments like this. And until the day he was brave enough to, his feelings would just have to be his little secret.

Of course, he had no way of knowing this then, but the following day, Lucas would move the mistletoe away from the living room entrance, so he wouldn’t block everyone’s way if he decided to try his plans again.

 

**~~* *~~**

It was New Year’s Eve, and the party was having a private party at Steve’s place. That meant, it wasn’t very different from their usual movie night, except for the booze, the fact that they were all sleeping over, and the addition of Steve Harrington.

A couple of minutes before midnight, El found Dustin in the kitchen looking for more beer. He wasn’t drunk yet, but he wished he were. Hopefully, that would take his mind off the fact that he wanted nothing more than to kiss Mike when the ball dropped.

“Are you okay, Dustin?” The girl asked, furrowing her brows at him.

“Oh, yeah,” he grinned at her, “I’m spiffing”.

“Spiffing?” El tilted her head. Obviously, that wasn’t a word she was familiar with. Dustin wasn’t either.

“I honestly don’t know what it means,” the bard chuckled. “I heard someone say it, and it sounds fun, so I’m guessing it means something fun”.

“You don’t look like you’re having fun,” El said, frowning a little before smiling softly at him, “but you will be. Come on, it’s almost midnight”.

El dragged him out to Steve’s backyard, where everyone else was currently waiting for them. They would listen to the countdown on the radio, and would light up some fireworks at midnight. The curly-haired boy had told Steve how he ‘kinda’ wanted to act like a stupid teenager on New Year’s Eve, but also wanted to spend it with his friends. This was Steve’s solution to his problem.

“Hi there, Bard,” Mike grinned when El and Dustin approached him and immediately wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Nice of you to join us here tonight”.

“Well, I hear this is the best place to be tonight,” Dustin smirked, turning his head a little to look at the taller boy.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Mike said, sending him the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.

_ Ten. _

_ Nine. _

_ Eight. _

Dustin wanted to kiss Mike.

_ Seven. _

_ Six. _

_ Five. _

Steve lit up the fireworks.

_ Four. _

_ Three. _

Dustin wanted to kiss Mike so bad.

_ Two. _

_ One. _

The fireworks whizzed up to the sky.

“Happy New Year!” Everyone cheered as the first firework exploded like a signal, or a gunshot at a sporting event, or something that said ‘go’.

It all happened too fast.

One moment, he was looking at the sky, admiring the beautiful fireworks. The next, he felt hands cupping his cheeks, and a pair of lips on his own. Mike’s pair of lips. The taller boy was kissing him under the fireworks.

That had taken him by surprise, and he hadn’t been able to react for the first couple of seconds. Or minutes. Or hours. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but eventually, the bard finally melted into the kiss and wrapped his arms around the paladin’s neck.

After what felt like forever, but also only a fraction of a second, Mike pulled away, but still cupping his face.

“W—” Dustin’s eyes fluttered open, “what was that for?”

Mike was looking at him with those big brown eyes full of happiness and—  _ Adoration? _

“You didn’t think I didn’t notice you trying to get me under the mistletoe at Lucas’, did you?” Mike grinned. Dustin’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Fuck! You knew?” He asked incredulously.  _ This fucker knew. That’s why he didn’t fall for any of my plans _ .

“Of course I knew,” Mike laughed out loud. “Lucas’ parents put one up every year. Everybody knows that. Of course I had to locate it right away”.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dustin huffed.  _ This fucker knew and he kept quiet the whole time _ .

“Well, there was a small chance you were doing that because someone had dared you to. I had to make sure”.

Someone cleared their throat, effectively snapping Dustin out of the little world where only he and Mike existed. He looked around to see five pairs of eyes looking at them. The one clearing his throat had been Will.

“I don’t mean to interrupt,” Will grinned at the two of them before turning to the rest of the group, “but  _ pay up _ , people”.

His friends exchanging dollar notes was the second weirdest thing he’d seen that night. Max had lost a bet to El, while Steve and Lucas to Will. The weirdest thing, however, was seeing Mike passing a ten dollar bill to Will.

“He bet that you would swear within the first three sentences,” Mike said, answering his silent question.

“Wait, you knew Mike would kiss him?” Lucas asked, frowning. “That’s cheating! You shouldn’t be allowed to bet”.

“We made the bet way before Mike told El and me,” Will stuck his tongue out at the black boy. “Also, Dustin could’ve told him anytime before that, so that wouldn’t be cheating”.

“Wait,” Dustin finally said, “ _ everybody _ knew?” He thought he had been discreet. He thought he’d hidden it well.

“If it’s any consolation, Mike was the last to know,” El grinned at him. “The rest of us, yeah, we’ve known for a while now”.

“Wipe that look of betrayal off your face,” Max huffed, “at least you got your man”.

At Max’s words, Mike became noticeably more nervous. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to, you know? I mean, we can just take it slow and see—”

Dustin shut Mike up by pressing their lips together, and now he understood, what the paladin had once said about the kiss that said everything they wanted to say.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think of this in the comments. 
> 
> Do you like any other Stranger Things ship that has next to no content? I might write a fic for them if I have the inspiration.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Proofreaders: Jake (@[castrateyourhumanpride](https://archiveofourown.org/users/castrateyourhumanpride)), Seeki (@[shewasthewind](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewasthewind/)), and El (@[trashmouthTM](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deasar/pseuds/trashmouthTM))


End file.
